BADMINTON BECKONS

Riders Amped to be Back at Badminton

It’s Badminton Horse Trials time and after a two year hiatus – thanks to COVID – the event is back with a star-studded line-up of the world’s best keen to triumph one of the most sought-after CCI5*-L crowns on the calendar.
New Zealand eventers Tim and Jonelle Price, Bundy Philpott, Amanda Pottinger and newly-minted Kiwi Lauren Innes are all on the start list for the event which gets underway overnight and runs through the weekend.
Piggy French (GBR) is in on her 2019 winner, with world no.1 Oliver Townend (GBR) entered on a string of top horses. But the Kiwis have a solid history at Badminton and world no.2 Jonelle Price, who won in 2018 aboard Classic Moet, and world no.3 Tim Price will be looking to add to their trophy cabinet.
Jonelle is in on 19-year-old Classic Moet who as well as having won Badminton (2018) has placed third at Burghley (2016), top 10 at both Kentucky and Maryland, and fourth at the 2014 World Champs in Caen.
Tim is in on his stalwart campaigner Ringwood Sky Boy. The 19-year-old gelding is a previous winner at Burghley, competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, and is no stranger to Badminton.
“The plan was for Sky Boy to be the understudy,” said Tim who had with withdraw Xavier Faer. “Sky Boy is at the end of his career and an old boy, and I just need to feel him out and take it one step at a time really. But all that said and done, he is feeling fantastic. He is feeling better than ever. He is very fit and strong and healthy, sound and well, so I am looking forward to getting to Badminton with him.”
The combination were very experienced and Tim said it meant quite a relaxed approach to the event. “Everything is a bonus, so it is about having some fun with my old friend for the week and everything that we will see we have possibly seen before so we will try to make full advantage of all that experience.”
Tim had focussed a lot on Sky Boy’s showjumping phase in the build-up to the event. “He is feeling good and I am excited to get back to Badminton after a couple of years sabbatical.”
The Prices Tokyo (reserve) team mate Bundy Philpott has not long been in the UK with 16-year-old Tresca NZPH but previously started at both Badminton and Burghley aboard Fig Jam in 2006 and 2007.
Amanda Pottinger is following in the footsteps of her Olympic silver medal-winning mum Tinks who has placed fourth at both Badminton and Burghley. Amanda will start aboard her 16-year-old New Zealand thoroughbred Just Kidding, on whom she has finished second and fourth on in the 5* at Adelaide in 2018 and 2019.
Lauren Innes is the newcomer to the team having only recently switched her Brit passport for a Kiwi one. Her father is a Kiwi and her mum Scottish, and she grew up in the South of England. The fulltime accountant will start 12-year-old Global Fision M – Flipper to his mates – in their first 5* start together.
Previous winners at Badminton for New Zealand include Andrew Nicholson (2017) – who also holds the record for the most completions with his 38 tally, Jock Paget (2013) and Sir Mark Todd (2011, 1996, 1994, 1980). Sir Mark became the oldest rider to win Badminton at 55 in 2011 and has completed the event 30 times. His horse Horton Point was the oldest horse to win the event when at 16, he won in 1994.
The event gets underway on Thursday (May 5) with two days of dressage, followed by the cross country on Saturday and the showjumping on Sunday.
 
WHAT: CCI5*-L Badminton Horse Trials (presented by Mars Equestrian)
WHERE: The Duke of Beaufort’s estate in South Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
WHEN: May 4-8, 2022
MORE INFO: www.badminton-horse.co.uk
 
The horse details –
Just Kidding – owned by The Pottinger Family
Ringwood Sky Boy – owned by Tim and Jonelle Price and Sophie Hearnden
Classic Moet – owned by Trisha and Sophie Rickards and Jonelle Price
Tresca NZPH – owned by Bryan and Bundy Philpott
Global Fision M – owned by Lauren Innes
Up Up and Away – owned by Cameron and Mary Crawford and Caroline Powell
Grovine de Reve – owned by Therese Miller and Jonelle Price
Xavier Faer – owned by Trisha and Sophie Rickards and Tim Price